Infection
The Infection, sometimes referred to as the ancient sickness,Violent Husk Hunter's Journal entry: "The bugs of Hallownest were twisted out of shape by that ancient sickness." bright light,Entombed Husk Hunter's Journal entry: "Inside these shambling corpses is a bright light that pierces any darkness." or the plague,The Radiance Hunter's Journal entry: "The plague, the infection, the madness that haunts the corpses of Hallownest..." is the main antagonistic force in Hollow Knight, leading to the deaths of thousands of bugs and ultimately the downfall of the kingdom of Hallownest.Elderbug: "Hallownest, it was once called. Supposedly the greatest kingdom there ever was, full of treasures and secrets. Hm. Now it's nothing more than a poisonous tomb full of monsters and madness." Description & Effects While much of the game uses softer blue and black tones, the Infection often manifests in a bright orange. This orange tone is most commonly seen in the colour of an infected bug's eyes, though it can also be seen in spores and even projectiles. Infected bugs release splatters of orange fluid when struck, while non-infected bugs release white particles of SOUL.As evidenced by Hornet, Zote, Mantis Lords, Mantis Youth, Mantis Warrior, Dung Defender, White Defender, Troupe Master Grimm, Nightmare King Grimm, Pale Lurker, and Pure Vessel who are uninfected and have white hit particles. Other more noticeable physical mutations that can be caused by the Infection include: * Physical bloating * Large orange cysts * Clouds of orange gas hovering around the victim and a non-infected Mantis Lord.|link=]] The Infection, however, has shown to have a much bigger effect on the behaviour of bugs, with different degrees of severity. In the case of dead bugs such as Husks, their bodies are reanimatedWandering Husk Hunter's Journal entry: "The remains of a bug, animated by a strange force." with only a small fragment of their mind remaining.Quirrel: "Did it sadden you to see those miners below, still labouring at their endless task? Even overcome, strong purpose has been imprinted upon their husks." It is a different case with living bugs, as they may be sent into a sort of waking coma as can be seen with Sly and Bretta.Sly: "What a strange dream, to have led me down here! If you hadn't found me, I don't think I would've ever woken." The best example is Myla, as, throughout the Knight's journey, Myla slowly loses her mind and succumbs to the Infection.Myla: "...Bury... body... cover... shell, Darkness. No meaning... DANGEROUS... Still, remain... LIGHT.... again..." Other behavioural modifications that the Infection can impose on a host include: * The loss of their willFurious Vengefly Hunter's Journal entry: "The infection that passes from creature to creature grants strength and courage, but it also seems to enslave the will." * Fragmenting of their mindViolent Husk Hunter's Journal entry: "First they fell into deep slumber, then they awoke with broken minds," * Tendencies to attack non-infected bugsHusk Bully Hunter's Journal entry: "It aggressively attacks any uninfected creature it finds." * Linking up to the hive mind of The RadianceBardoon: "Theirs is a different kind of unity. Rejection of the Wyrm's attempt at order. I resist the light's allure. Union it may offer, but also a mind bereft of thought... To instinct alone a bug is reduced.." * Increase in strength and courage * Lack of self-preservation when heavily infectedViolent Husk Hunter's Journal entry: "Charges at enemies with no thought for its own preservation." Nonetheless, a select number of NPCs have been shown to resist the Infection, most notably the Mantis tribe. Although how they managed to stay uncontaminated stays up to speculation, Quirrel proposes the idea that the Mantises were more intelligent or powerful than a "lesser bug".Quirrel: "They're not brutes though, no. The sickness in the air that clouds the mind of lesser beasts... they resist it." Even once the Infection is resisted, it is still seen to have persuasive properties, as demonstrated by the outcast pack of Mantis Traitors and the Traitor Lord. After initially withstanding the effects of the plague, they relinquished their minds of their own volitionTraitor Lord Hunter's Journal entry: "Embraced the infection and turned against his sisters." due to the strength that the Infection could grant them. In the Traitor Lord's journal entry, The Hunter states: :"I have felt that desire. The desire to take the infection into myself. To become stronger, more powerful... these thoughts haunt my dreams during the darkest times. A false hope, but it can burn so brilliantly in one's mind."Traitor Lord Hunter's Journal entry It is also shown that the Infection can affect certain areas as well as creatures. The Forgotten Crossroads, at one point during the game, becomes overrun with the Infection. Large cysts and veins smother the area, blocking off certain paths and corrupting all of its enemies. History Sometime after the Pale King arrived and the Kingdom of Hallownest forgot about the Radiance, the Infection was released and spread through the dreams of bugs.Seer: "How fickle my ancestors must have been. They forsook the light that spawned them. Turned their backs to it... Forgot it even. And so this kingdom was born from that betrayal. But the memories of that ancient light still lingered, hush whispers of faith... Until all of Hallownest began to dream of that forgotten light." Though this was caused by the Radiance, it is unsure whether this was purposeful or just an unprecedented side effect of her anger. As Moss Prophet states: :"Light is life, beaming, pure, brilliant. To stifle that light is to suppress nature. Nature suppressed distorts, plagues us." This proposes the idea of the Radiance's light being nature, and that it will only create a plague when this nature is suppressed. It may imply that the Infection was not initially under the Radiance's control. However, this does not mean that the Radiance has nothing to do with the ruined desolation that can be seen currently. Even if the Infection was created by accident, at some point, it is suggested that the Radiance discovered how to actively use the plague as a weapon, and proceeded to use it against specific bugs to take over or twist their minds.Soul Tyrant: "In my dreams I could see it. The Kingdom's salvation, the cure for the plague... the answer was in the soul that animates our bodies."''Myla Dream Nail dialogue: ''"... how much longer... KILL IT... how much longer... DANGEROUS... how much longer... KILL IT... how much longer... KILL THE EMPTY ONE..."Xero: "In my dreams, I would cut that plague with my nails, and then I turned my weapons upon the King." The Infection eventually ended up consuming the Kingdom of Hallownest. Some went mad trying to stop it,Soul Master Hunter's Journal entry: "Hoarded soul hoping to stave off Hallownest's affliction, but eventually became intoxicated by its power." and others turned to their King who was occupied with his own methods of trying to stop the Infection.Dung Defender: "We knights defend against the physical, but a formless enemy. How to defeat such a foe? Our King tried in his own way. A cruel means it was..." The Pale King had the idea of sealing the Radiance within the Hollow Knight.Pale King: "You shall seal the blinding light that plagues their dreams." While this may have worked at first, it eventually did not prevent the Radiance from trying to exert influence. As the Infection grew, the Pale King went into hiding,Official manual: "As Hallownest fell to ruin, its reclusive king abandoned his subjects and went into hiding." and his Palace disappeared.Relic Seeker Lemm: "Have you visited the remnants of his palace? It's down below this city, in the bedrock of the kingdom. Must've been an impressive sight in its time. Now there's nothing left. It's a strange thing though. There are no signs of conflict around the area. It's as though the whole place just vanished." Trivia * The Infection apparently has a sweet smell and taste.Volatile Mosskin Hunter's Journal entry: "The gas that seeps from their growths smells invitingly sweet, but it will burn through shell and flesh if you get too close!"Husk Bully Hunter's Journal entry: "A thick orange mist fills these walking corpses. It has a sweet, sickly taste to it."''Wandering Husk Dream Nail dialogue: ''"That sweet smell...Burns..." ru:Чума fr:L'Infection Category:Lore